Dallas Cowboys Blog

Five Cowboys who failed to meet expectations in 2011: No. 5

Though the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons, there were players who exceeded expectations. There were also players that failed to live up to expectations.

We look at the top five players in each of those categories this week. Players exceeding expectations will appear at noon each day this week. Those failing to meet expectations debut at 3 p.m. each day this week.

Failed to meet expectations No. 5 — Wide receiver Miles Austin: Austin entered the season as the Cowboys lead receiver and Tony Romo’s most reliable deep threat.

He finished with only two games of more than 53 yards in the final three months of a disappointing season.

Nagging hamstring injuries carved six games out of Austin’s season and limited his effectiveness in eight others. Austin was a shadow of his Pro Bowl self with just 43 catches for 579 yards. That yardage total is less than half of what he produced during his breakout 2009 season.

Austin was at his best in Week Two with nine catches for 143 yards and three touchdowns in the overtime win over San Francisco. That was the game he suffered the first of two, separate hamstring injuries and his only 100-yard performance.

Austin caught just 29 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns the remainder of the season. His drop of a deep pass in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys game against the New York Giants on Dec. 11 — a play he would have scored a touchdown — opened the door for the Giants comeback victory.

The Cowboys have watched Austin’s reception and yardage totals steadily decline the past two seasons. He must reverse that trend for the Cowboys offense to reach its potential in 2012.